File.



Pa'tentedApr. l0, I900. C. V. HENKEL &. E. M. ANDERSON.

FILE.

. (Applicltion filed Oct. 14, 1899.).

(No Model.)

HNEYS nu: NORRIS PEI'ERS 00.. mom-mun. msmuerowp. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

CHAR-LES V. HENKEL AND EDVARD M. ANDERSON, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 647,405, dated April 10, 1900. Application filed ocateriaisee. Serial No. 783,600. (No model.)

T0 ttZZ tuhom it ntay concern.- Be it known that we, CHARLES V. HENKEL and EDWARD M. ANDERSON, of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved File, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a file in the form of a temporary binder for holding letters and the like, and the device embodies clampingsections provided with prongs for piercing the letters and actuated by springs, so that when the restraining-catch is released the clamping-sections will ordinarily open, the restraining-clamp serving to hold the clamping-sections against the springs and in locked posithe binding removed, the View showing theessential parts of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevation of the file with the covers and other bindings in place.

The file has a back or body portion 6, to each end of which is fastened a flat casing 7, the casings standing perpendicularly to the back or body. Extending between the easings 7, parallel with the body 6 and throughout the length thereof, are the clamping-sections 8, which are preferably formed of sheet metal, as shown, and which are provided at their lower edges with a rod 9, extending through them and projecting beyond their ends to form journals, which are mounted to rock in the inner walls of the casings 7. To

the respective clamping-sections the covers 8 of the file are secured by flexible fastenings, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the covers are carried by the clamping-sections and may be thrown to flat open position, as in the view referred to.

at each casing 7, as will be obvious.

Within each casing. 7 are arranged two elbow-levers 10, which are fulcrumed on the journals formedby the ends of the rods 9 and which have their long arms extended inward and slotted to receive a headed pin '11, thus causing the elbow-levers 10 to move in unison with each other. The headed pin 11 of each elbow-lever slides in a slot 12, formed in the inner walls of each casing; The short arms of the levers 10 extend forwardly and are connected with the end rods 14, which are secured in the clamping-sections 8, the same as the rods 9 and approximately at the middle of the width of the clamping-sections, the ends of such rods 14: projecting, beyond the ends of the clamping-sections and into the casings 7, through slots 15, formed in the inner walls thereof at the side edges,-as shown. For the purpose of tending to throw the long arms of the levers forward, and consequently to throw the short arms outward to open the clamping-sections, as indicated in Fig. 5, we

provide springs 16 between the body 6 and the levers, as shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement tending, therefore, to throw the sections 8 into open position to release the contents of the file, in order to hold the clamping-sections in the closed position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, we provide a catch 17, sliding in one of the casings 7 and having a head 18, mounted outside of such casin g. This catch 17 is adapted to engage with a shoulder 19, formed on the short arm of the adjacent elbow-lever 10, as shown in Fig. 4. The catch 17 is normally thrown down by a spring 20. \Vhen the catch is in the position shown in Fig. 4, it holds the lovers 10, and consequently the clampingsections, in the closed position, and by moving the catch 17 upward against the tension of the spring 20 the shoulder 19 before referred to will be disengaged and the springs 16 permitted to throw the clamping-sections open. Ordinarily but one catch 17 is neces sary; but should the file be constructed of extraordinary length a catch may be arranged The clamping-sections 8 are thus mounted to swing on the pivots formed by the ends of the rods 9 and to move in unison from open to closed position, and the longer sections are provided with prongs 21 to enter openings in the letters or other papers, thus holding them in the file. These prongs 21 open and close with the clamping-sections and are curved in conformity with the are in which they are moved, so that they will move true toward and from each other, thus permitting the letters and other papers in the file to be conveniently shifted from one position to the other when the file is open. When the file is closed, the leaves are securely held, and yet permitted to be moved from one side to the other for their expansion, it being therefore only necessary to open the file to place or displace the leaves.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A file, comprising a back or body, casings secured respectively to the ends thereof, clamping-sections pivotally mounted between the casings, spring-pressed means within the casings for throwing the clamping-sections outward to open position, filing-prongs carried by the clamping-sections and serving to engage the papers to be filed, and means for removably holding the clamping-sections in inward position against the tension of said spring-pressed means.

2. In a file, the combination with a body, of clamping-sections mounted to swing thereon and respectively located at the extreme side edges of the body, covers respectively carried by the clamping-sections, curved prongs carried rigidly by the clamping-sections and arranged to engage the papers to be filed, to hold them in place, and means for securing the clamping-sections in closed position.

8. In a file, the combination of a body portion, two clamping-sections mounted thereon, an elbow-lever having connection with each clamping-section, the fulcra of the levers being respectively coincident with the pivots of the clamping-sections, and the elbow-levers having sliding connection with each other,

and means for actuating the elbow-levers to actuate the clamping-sections.

4. In a file, the combination of a body portion, a clamping-section mounted to swing thereon, an elbow-lever having connection with the clamping-section, the fulcrum of the lever being coincident with the pivot of the clamping-section, a spring actuating the lever to throw the section to open position, and a catch mounted on the file and engaging the lever to hold it in closed position.

5. A'file having a back or body, a casing attached to each end thereof, clamping-sections mounted in the casings and extending between the same, and means for actuating the clamping-sections, such means being carried in the casings.

6. A file having a rigid back or body, a clamping-section located at each side edge of the body, means secured rigidly to each end of the back or body between which means the clamping-sections extend, and on which the clam pin g-sections are pivoted to swing toward and from each other, the pivots being at the inner portions of the clamping-sections, filing-prongs attached to the outer portions of the clamping-sections and extending toward each other, and means for actuating the clamping-sections.

7. In a file, the combination of a back or body, clamping-sections pivoted to swing thereon, the pivots being at the inner edges of the clamping-sections, covers respectively attached to the outer edges of the clampingsections, filing-prongs carried rigidly by the clamping-sections at the outer portions thereof and arranged to engage the papers to be filed, and means for actuating the clampingsections.

CHARLES V. HENKEL. EDWARD M. ANDERSON. Witnesses:

I. B. OWENS, JNo. M. BITTER. 

